Lessons from EU experience Douglas Evans

Transcription

1 Douglas Evans ETC-BD, April 2018, First workshop on reporting under Resolution No. 8 (2012) of the Bern Convention Copenhagen Lessons from EU experience Douglas Evans European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity

2 Previous reporting under Bird Directive Article 12 & Habitats Directive Article 17 Habitats Directive Birds Directive Three yearly reports but little information on species habitat reports, bird reports & non-bird species reports for

3 EU Guidance Reviewed & revised after each reporting cycle Latest guidelines available from Also worked examples

4 CoE Guidance Only part 1 (field-by-field guidance) available at the moment But will also be available on Emerald Reference Portal Part 2 covers concepts and EU guidance is also relevant for non EU countries

5 Learning from EU experience web tool gives access to country reports To see the original report d) Favourable reference area method used to set reference value FRV is set as CV plus the area of Habitat 7120 is supposed to be restored to 7110 and therefore add up to the reference value of For occurrence and range, data comes from VMI, county administration and, MOTH/RIS d) Favourable reference range - method used to set reference value 2.3 Range Favourable reference range (FRR) The range of this habitat has probably remained stable in the past and is not expected to change due to current pressures or future threats. Thus, it is expected that FRR = CV according to ETC s (2011) guidelines. Current value (CV) d) Favourable See Explanation Note reference area

6 Species only parameters Population Habitat for species For birds, assessments are made at a European scale & countries only report population size and trends (plus distribution maps, etc) Cypripedium calceolus botanica.org

7 Population units for reporting Individuals 1x1 km grids (not for birds) Breeding pairs, calling males (Birds only) Agreed alternatives for 11 species, mostly bryophytes, and none on list of species for Emerald reporting New for report so no experience In previous rounds it has been difficult to get agreement

8 Why do we need common units for population? EU Article 17 assessments based on Member State data, assume CoE assessments will use similar methods Where possible, quantitative parameters assessed as for Member States Otherwise weighting by area/population or distribution

9 Population units for assessment The assessment of the population parameter can be made using other units If a different reporting unit is used for the assessment, the Member State should ensure that it can capture trends and is biologically suitable for expressing the favourable reference population.

10 Vertigo angustior in Ireland The species is difficult to identify in the field and recording it requires specialist knowledge. Balance between confirming presence and overuse of destructive sampling. The habitat assessment covers a wide area of potential habitat but the snail s presence is not confirmed from this entire area. Trends in the population are therefore semi quantitative and a mixture of expert opinion and measured changes. The species was located at 19 out of the 21 sites during the surveys. In addition to the two negative sites, population was assessed as declining at three sites. Assessed as Unfavourable Inadequate (U1) See NPWS (2013) The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Species Assessments Volume 1. Unpublished Report, NPWS. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland reports 0/article 17 reports 2013

11 Otter (Lutra lutra ) in France DNA based methods give reliable population estimates but are too expensive across large areas Use estimates of population density in the literature and length of river used by the species to give an estimate to individuals for the Atlantic biogeographical region Noted as based on expert opinion Distribution expanding so assume population is increasing

12 Habitat for species To survive and flourish a species needs a sufficiently large area of habitat of suitable quality and spatial distribution. habitat for the species should be interpreted to take into account the following: physical and biological requirements of the species; this includes prey, pollinators, etc.; all stages of its life cycle are covered and seasonal variation in the species requirements is reflected.

13 Habitat for species Saxifraga hirculus in Ireland Habitat quality indicators were assessed at 13 [of 19] populations including water level, positive & negative species, vegetation height and grazing level. 7 populations were given a poor rating and one a bad rating mainly due to issues relating to vegetation height linked with grazing level. Ongoing monitoring will determine whether this will have a knock-on effect on competition or excessive flower head removal. The overall quality is assessed as good as these issues are currently not considered to be having a major impact on the species. Although there are many apparently suitable flushes across the north-west there is no real understanding as to why this species is restricted to particular flushes, therefore the Area of suitable habitat is considered to be equal to the Habitat for the species. NPWS (2013) The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Species Assessments Volume 1

14 Habitat only parameters Area Structure & functions Fagus woodland, French Alps

15 Habitat information National Forest Inventories Corine Land Cover European Red List of habitats Modelling Area assessed for habitat Red List

16 All habitats chosen for reporting have a Red List assessment B1.6 Coastal dune scrub B1.6a Atlantic and Baltic coastal dune scrub B1.6b Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal dune scrub B1.6c Macaronesian coastal dune scrub C1.25 Charophyte submerged carpets in mesotrophic waterbodies C1.2a Oligotrophic to mesotrophic waterbody with Characeae D4.1 Rich fens, including eutrophic tall-herb fens and calcareous flushes and soaks D4.1a Small-sedge base-rich fen and calcareous spring mire D4.1b Tall-sedge base-rich fen D4.1c Calcareous quaking mire E1.3 Mediterranean xeric grassland E1.3a Mediterranean closely grazed dry grassland E1.3b Mediterranean tall perennial dry grassland E1.3c Mediterranean annual-rich dry grassland F3.241 Central European subcontinental thickets F3.1eTemperate and submediterranean thorn scrub G1.6 Fagus woodland G1.6a Fagus woodland on non-acid soils G1.6b Fagus woodland on acid soils G1.A4 Ravine and slope woodland G1.Ab Ravine woodland G3.9 Coniferous woodland dominated by Cupressaceae G3.9a Taxus baccata woodland or Taxaceae G3.9b Mediterranean Cupressaceae woodland G3.9c Macaronesian Juniperus woodland H1 Terrestrial underground caves, cave systems, H1.1 Cave passages and waterbodies

17 Caves in Ireland Little evidence that Irish caves support much in the way of specialised troglobite fauna, or highly endemic cave species. However, one of the species of bat found in Ireland is listed on Annex II and does occur in caves the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). In Ireland habitat interpreted as caves which host important numbers of lesser horseshoe bat. While extensive mapping surveys of some cave systems have been done and the length and area may be known, a complete national survey has not been undertaken. In the absence of more detailed information, which would require extensive field survey, each of the 50 caves used by lesser horseshoe bats has been given a nominal area of 100m². See NPWS (2013) The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Habitat Assessments Volume 2. Unpublished Report, National Parks & Wildlife Services. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland reports 0/article 17 reports 2013

18 8120 Calcareous and calcshist screes in France (Alpine region) Present in at least x10 km grid cells Estimate mean coverage of 3% 150 km² Bensetttiti & Puisssauve (2015) Résultats de l'état de conservation des habitats et des espèces dans le cadre de la directive Habitats Faune Flore en France. Rapportage "Article 17". Période Service du patrimoine naturel, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris %2063%20 %20Rapport_FR_art17_web2.pdf

19 Structure & functions Difficult but clearly important Often assessed by aggregating condition of a series of sites Frequent use of reference states sometimes based on phytosociological literature Definition includes link to typical species these do not have to be restricted to plants or to species noted in the Interpretation Manual

20 Habitat 3140 in Ireland similar to C1.25 Charophyte submerged carpets in mesotrophic waterbodies At favourable condition dominated by algae, particularly Chara spp and krustenstein (an algal crust composed mainly of cyanobacteria). [list of 20 taxa, mostly Chara & Potamogeton but also cyanobacteria & a beetle] 53.6% lakes in good conservation status, 25% poor & 21.4% bad Lakes in poorest condition were the largest Use of data on water quality collected for reporting under the Water Framework Directive for non sampled lakes (eg Chorophyll a status, nutrient condition, status of macrophytes, phytobenthos & phytoplankton) the inescapable conclusion is that the greater part of the area of the marl lake habitat (hard water lakes 3140) within Ireland is poor or bad. Structure & functions reported as Unfavourable Bad (U2) See NPWS (2013) The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Habitat Assessments Volume 2.

21 For both habitats & species Central European subcontinental thickets European Red List of Habitats Favourable Reference Values Future prospects Distribution map Range Pressures & threats Conservation measures Coverage by network

22 Favourable Reference Values Required for Range (species & habitats) Area (habitats) Population (species) Recognised as being difficult, much work both at both EU & country level

23 Favourable Reference Population How many do we need? For a few species we can have estimates of minimum viable populations but unrealistic to assume we will have similar analysis for all species listed on resolution individuals A pragmatic solution?

24 Using qualifiers Often known that population or area is a limiting factor even if the value for FCS is not known Assume FRV greater or much greater than Current value value value FRA=CV FRP=CV other operator FRA unknown Habitats ( ) other operator FRP unknown Species ( )

25 Favourable Reference Values Report suggests a variety of approaches depending on the ecology of the species /habitat and the data available Limited number of examples

26 Favourable Reference Values - summary of guidance Summary by Carlos Romão (EEA)

27 Lycaena dispar in the Netherlands NETHERLANDS Range has been contracting for a long period (probably several centuries) Now only one core population and two satellite populations remain < Range is 400 km² (4 grid cells) From Henk Siepel & Chris van Swaaij

28 Lycaena dispar in the Netherlands 2 Population size decreasing since the 1970s, extinction of local populations, no data before 1950 Currently in 3 sites: , , <10 individuals FRP ca ind. (one meta population) 2 core areas, 1000 individuals in each 12 satellite areas, 100 individuals in each FRR >> current value, to include the FRP long term viable meta population

29 Future prospects species & habitats Species 'Future prospects' focuses on the requirement for the long term maintenance of population of the species and the need for habitat and range to be and to remain stable or increase in the foreseeable future. Habitats 'Future prospects' focuses on the requirement for the long term maintenance of structure and functions and the need for area and range to be and to remain stable or increasing in the foreseeable future. Long term interpreted as meaning the two future reporting cycles, i.e. the next 12 years. Assessment uses expert judgment based on trends of each of the other parameters New method for

30 Future prospects the 3 step approach Step 1: Future trend of a parameter taking into account threats and conservation measures using tables 25 (species) or 32 (habitats) Step 2: Future prospects of a parameter. Step 3: Assessing overall Future prospects for a habitat using tables 26 (species) or 33 (habitats).

31 Future prospects Euphydryas aurinia Range is stable; Population and Habitat for the species are both declining 8 threats & pressures reported, mostly linked to agriculture Adapt/manage mowing & grazing reported as a conservation measure. This is expected to counteract some of the pressures acting on habitat quality, but other high ranked threats having an impact on both habitat quality and area as well as population are expected to continue. So trends for population and habitat for the species will most likely remain decreasing. Parameter Assessment of parameter Expected future trend Future prospect Range Favourable Stable Good Population Unfavourable inadequate Decreasing Poor Habitat for the Unfavourable species inadequate Decreasing Poor 2 'poor' plus 1 'good' leads to Unfavourable inadequate (U1)

32 Data- often limited

33 Sources of information used by France for % habitats assessed as unknown 18% species assessed as unknown BENSETTITI F. & PUISSAUVE R. (2015). Résultats de l évaluation de l état de conservation des habitats et des espèces dans le cadre de la directive Habitats Faune Flore en France. Rapportage «article 17». Période MNHN SPN, MEDDE, Paris. s/2015/spn%202015%20 %2063%20 %20Rapport_FR_art17_web2.pdf

34 Remote sensing? Rapidly developing field for habitat area, distribution & quality

35 Citizen science? g/enquete/lucane cerf volant.html I think I ve seen a stag beetle

36 Thank you